Croatan’s Colborn headed to Methodist to play football

Published: Friday, June 28, 2013 at 10:30 AM.

Colborn was recruited as an inside linebacker, but he said he was “open to any position as long as it helps the team and as long as we can win football games.”

Colborn considered The Citadel in both sports as well as Ferrum for football, among others. Through it all, however, Methodist was “the one that really stuck out to me the entire time,” he said.

And while he didn’t make his decision because of Rigsby’s decision to go to Methodist, Colborn said it was “a factor” because Rigsby has been one of his best friends since moving to the area from Pennsylvania.

The 18-year-old Colborn said he likely will major in criminal justice with a double minor in history and “some type of business” with an eye toward law school and then later becoming a sports agent.

And while Methodist can’t give athletic scholarships as a Division
III
school, Colborn said he was “getting a good bit” of academic aid, adding that it was “a great feeling” knowing he’ll be able to continue his athletic career.

“It makes me want to work,” he said. “I want to make sure that I have every opportunity to play when I get there. Me and ‘Bean are actually working out a lot together. We’ve been working one or two times a day every day just trying to kill ourselves to make sure we’re ready. Just because I made it to that level I’m not ready to stop. I’m ready to keep going and see how far I can go.”

As a two-sport standout at Croatan, Kyle Colborn had his options as he looked to his future as a college athlete.

Would he wrestle — he was, after all, a two-time state runner-up? Or would the hard-nosed 5-foot-10, 205-pounder play football — where last season as a middle linebacker he led the Cougars with 138 tackles?

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

“Believe me since the end of wrestling season I can’t even tell you the nights of sleep I lost just thinking about what do I want to do. Do I want to wrestle? Do I want to play football? I love them both so much,” he said. “But when it came down to it I love football too much to give it up right now.”

That’s why the wrestler of the year and defensive football player of the year in the East Central 2-A Conference decided to play football for NCAA Division III Methodist along with his football and wrestling teammate Johnathon Rigsby.

And ask why he picked the Fayetteville school and Colborn’s response would have the college’s public relations department looking to put his words on a bronze plaque.

“I went on a visit there and it’s one of the most beautiful campuses. It’s one of North Carolina’s untold stories you would never imagine. I love the campus. I love the staff. I love the people,” he said. “Everybody was so nice to me there and they’re extremely dedicated to winning football games and being great people, which is really what I want to be involved with.”

Colborn was recruited as an inside linebacker, but he said he was “open to any position as long as it helps the team and as long as we can win football games.”

Colborn considered The Citadel in both sports as well as Ferrum for football, among others. Through it all, however, Methodist was “the one that really stuck out to me the entire time,” he said.

And while he didn’t make his decision because of Rigsby’s decision to go to Methodist, Colborn said it was “a factor” because Rigsby has been one of his best friends since moving to the area from Pennsylvania.

The 18-year-old Colborn said he likely will major in criminal justice with a double minor in history and “some type of business” with an eye toward law school and then later becoming a sports agent.

And while Methodist can’t give athletic scholarships as a Division III school, Colborn said he was “getting a good bit” of academic aid, adding that it was “a great feeling” knowing he’ll be able to continue his athletic career.

“It makes me want to work,” he said. “I want to make sure that I have every opportunity to play when I get there. Me and ‘Bean are actually working out a lot together. We’ve been working one or two times a day every day just trying to kill ourselves to make sure we’re ready. Just because I made it to that level I’m not ready to stop. I’m ready to keep going and see how far I can go.”